


This Has All Happened Before

by Galactica_Brit



Category: Battlestar Galactica (2003)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-01
Updated: 2016-04-01
Packaged: 2018-05-30 12:47:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,763
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6424735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Galactica_Brit/pseuds/Galactica_Brit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kara finds out what its like being on the other side when Leobon resurfaces. Set after Pegasus. UPDATE Six has decided to get in on the action, vicious cylon when she feels like it...</p>
            </blockquote>





	This Has All Happened Before

He watched her on the monitor from the infrared camera. The darkness in her cell was complete, he doubted she even knew he was watching her. But he saw her, sat against the back wall of the cell, arms hugging her knees to her chest, head down, resting on her knees. The cell was cold on his request and he smiled as he could see her shivering, he knew she was freezing, she was wet and only had her tank and shorts on as that's all she had when they grabbed her from her bed. The only thing he couldn't see on the camera were the bruises, and the cuts, and the blood that covered her from head to toe. But he knew they were there as he'd been the one to inflict most of the damage, with a little help from some friends.

Poor little Starbuck, not safe, even on a Battlestar, but then the crew of the Pegasus could always be relied upon to help out, for the right price.

After three months of playing with her, taunting her, beating her, starving her, messing with her head, he was about to start his next plan. He gathered the needle loaded with her first shot and signalled the two guards to open up the door.

As soon as she saw the needle she knew what they were going to do to her.

"Frak you, you cant do this to me, you can't do this!" Kara Thrace had not been this panicked in a long, long time. The destruction of the 12 Colonies, her crash landing, her experiences on Caprica retrieving the Arrow, even realising the frakheads on the Pegasus had betrayed her unwittingly to the Cylons had not made her heart pound, her pulse race like this.

This situation had gone from bad to worse, cut off from the Fleet, in pain, without hope of escape. After three attempts they'd hobbled her and broken her ankle. She hadn't thought anything could make it more dire, but she had been so wrong.

As the powerful, muscle bound thugs who had become her personal torturers came at her again she mustered the little remaining strength she had to attempt to fight them off. But, unlike in the beginning, she knew she could not win this round. Deprived of adequate food and water, of sleep, of daylight, the infamous Starbuck was at the very end of her rope, and she was about to be yanked off the end of it.

After a brief struggle they had her down on the ground again, face pressed into the unforgiving metal floor, arms cruelly twisted behind her and held down with one of the bruisers kneeling on her back. Weakened as she was and unable to get free she still desperately tried to buck them off her back, succeeding only in getting her arms pulled higher, on the verge of dislocation, eliciting a yelp from Kara, one she tried so hard not to give voice too.

And then she felt it, a sharp prick in her bare shoulder, the needle pumping the drug into her system, burning its way along her veins.

As the thugs let her go and retreated to the door of her cell, Kara painfully scrambled to the corner, back against the wall, legs pulled tight into her body, glaring at the Cylon who had become her ultimate nightmare.

"This is for your own good Starbuck. You told me that humans have no choice. You have to suffer, you have to feel pain….you have to die. Maybe this will ease your pain? Maybe you'll start answering my questions?"

As she looked at him , Kara couldn't believe she'd once prayed for his soul. Putting everything into a snarl she replied in as steady a voice as she could, "Don't frakking count on it. You say this was written, that we've been here before? Well, I suggest you check your history 'cause I'm damned sure I'd never give in to you, in any incarnation, for any reason."

The Cylon chuckled at her, "Oh Starbuck, if only you knew…you'd never have fought in the first place." And with that, Leobon Conroy stepped back out of the cell, slammed the door and left Kara in the pitch black of what had become her home over the last three months.

Left in the darkness once again, Kara could feel herself unwittingly start to fade out. As she slipped down the wall she turned to the only hope she had left. She began to pray, "Lords of Kobol, please, please hear my prayer….".

x-x-x-x

The first transmission came two days after Starbuck had vanished from her bunk on the Pegasus.

To his dismay, Lee had only realised she'd gone when she didn't show up for her CAP on the second day as he'd been out on another one of Cain's humiliating courier runs around the Fleet. He'd landed back on Pegasus mad as hell and needing to offload as usual to Kara who would sit, listen and then impart some of her own special wisdom, she never failed to bring him out of his funk. Only this time when he got back she was not waiting at the hangar door as was custom.

At first he thought she'd got into a fight with one of the knucklehead pilots who had enjoyed baiting her since she first stepped foot on the new Battlestar. Lords knew they deserved it after making her life hell. At first it was small things, snide comments any time she walked into a room, bursts of laughter when she left, nothing she couldn't deal with. But as things grew into small pushes in the mess hall and one instance of her locker being drenched, he could see it wearing her down. Starbuck wasn't used to being disrespected, being the lowest of the low and he could see she didn't know how to deal with it. One day she evidently had had enough and broke the nose of Gage, the ring leader of the good time boys. The shock of her fighting back seemed to be enough to keep them away from her, at least up until she'd disappeared.

Lee had gone straight to the brig, sure she'd be waiting for him with that infuriating grin and a throwaway comment. Even when he didn't find her there he didn't panic but started checking out her favourite bolt holes which she'd somehow managed to ferret out despite the crazy schedule Cain had them both on. By the time he'd checked the last place he could think of with still no sign of her Lee was starting to get concerned.

He found himself in an awkward position. Should he go ask the good time boys if they'd seen her, or go straight to Cain to see if she'd been reassigned. Either way he knew that if Kara was just off somewhere for some solitude she'd be mad as hell at him for causing a fuss and giving the Pegasus crew more reason to tease her about their relationship. But, if Cain had reassigned her then he was worrying for nothing.

In the end he didn't need to go see either of them. Just as he was approaching CIC to find Admiral Cain a call for him from his father came over the comms. The call that changed everything.

"This is Adama, go ahead Galactica Actual" Lee was aware of all eyes in the CIC on him as he spoke to his father.

The Commanders voice came over the loudspeaker, Lee could detect something off in the way his dad rushed his words, "Lieutenant, is Captain Thrace with you?"

Lee paused, why was the old man asking him that? He answered haltingly, "Er, I've just got back to Pegasus but haven't seen her yet Sir. Is there a problem?"

His fathers voice came back on, Lee could detect strain in it, "Has anyone seen her today on that ship? I need to know Lee."

"Wait one Galactica…" Lee looked to Admiral Cain who, to her credit was on the comms apparently making enquiries. After a minute she shook her head, a question in her eyes as to what was going on. Lee ignored her, "No-one's seen her Sir, what's going on?".

"I want you back on this ship Lieutenant, now."

"Now wait a moment Commander, this is my ship, my crew and you can't…" Admiral Cain was cut off mid sentence.

"Admiral Cain, I'm sorry but matters have gone beyond the jurisdiction of your ship. I have reason to believe Captain Thrace has been taken from your ship, by force, and is currently in enemy hands". The old mans voice was shaking with barely concealed rage, Lee could not believe what he'd just heard. He beat Cain to have the next word.

"What do you mean 'in enemy hands'? Where is she? What the frak's going on Dad?". He didn't even realise he'd slipped from military protocol.

"I need you back on Galactica Lee. Immediately."

Cain spoke up while staring at Lee, "He's on his way Commander, but I'm coming too and I want a damned good explanation to your allegations. A damned good one."

Back on board Galactica, Lee and the Admiral were taken straight to the Commanders quarters. He waved away Lee's question, perched on the edge of his desk he spoke.

"At 0740 we received an incoming call to CIC. An unidentified male suggested he had a message I would want to hear. Before I had a chance to question him he played us this". With that he started the message playing, looking at his son with pity in his eyes. Lee soon found out why.

The message started with static then cleared to a low, intermittent thud. Lee found himself physically tilting his head to try to hear more clearly, the sound was familiar, but he couldn't quite place it. After one particularly loud thud he knew what it was as he heard a low moan. His eyes widened as he heard the moan again followed by a pained "Frak you". Even with her voice distorted with what he was sure were tears, he knew it was Kara.

"Damn it, let me go…" Lee quietened again as he heard Kara struggle, chains clinking and then the sound of fists hitting flesh continued. The brief recording ended after a vicious sounding slap.

The old man spoke again, rage evident in his tone, "They call themselves the Voice of Freedom. A human group, apparently they want the war to end, saying we should live in peace with the Cylons. They have taken Lieutenant Thrace as a prisoner of war, a hostage. Apparently her profile among the Fleet made her their prime target, they say they will be in touch again soon." He paused, his eyes hardening "I want her back, and I want her back here now. Whatever it takes".

In the depths of the Voice of Freedom stronghold, Leobon smiled to himself. This group, preaching of peace with the Cylons, the perfect group to ally himself with, to persuade of the need for a political prisoner. And oh so happy to follow his lead in his choice of prisoner.

He watched her for hours, just sat and watched her in her state of unconsciousness brought on by a well placed elbow to the back of her neck once he'd made the recording. Staring at her, at this woman, no, at this girl who'd had him tortured mercilessly in his previous body. She looked so innocent, those big guileless eyes, her soft spoken questions. But underneath he saw her resolve, her willingness to do anything to get what she wanted from him. Hour after hour she orchestrated his torture, never once touching him, but she was in control nonetheless.

The more he stared at her, the more the memories washed over him of how at the end she had looked into his eyes with such sorrow and understanding. He remembered how he'd laid his hand on the window separating them right before the President spaced his previous body just to see if she would respond, despite knowing he was a Cylon and despite the fact that her President was standing right behind her. As she slowly moved forward he thought she was going to cry, and then as she raised her hand to mirror his he was fascinated by her and he knew he had to meet her again, had to get her under his control and test her to her very foundations. He'd seen a glimpse of the insecurity below her military façade, talk of her mother touched a nerve. He wanted to find that nerve again, and destroy it.

And so he sat, and he watched, and he waited.

As he watched he wondered how she would react when she woke and realised what was happening. He wondered if she'd appreciate the efforts he'd gone to for her. Not only had he found a room the mirror image of their first meeting, but he'd recreated the scene right down to the guard in black waiting to enter when she awoke. And of course he couldn't wait to see if she'd notice any of that once she realised she was restrained as he'd been, arms shackled behind her and attached to the cuffs around her ankles. He heard from Simon how she'd reacted to being restrained down on Caprica. He was so looking forward to this, to the moment of awareness.

"Your Gods teach you the cyclical nature of events don't they Starbuck. Well, reap what you sow little girl." He spoke quietly to himself, breaking the utter silence in the room. He looked forward to breaking that silence once more, only the next time he heard her voice, that voice that had spoken to him so gently, he wanted her to be screaming in pain.

x-x-x-x

The door slammed shut leaving her ears ringing as she tried to adjust to her new predicament.

As she'd been thrown back into the dark cell she'd hoped they'd just leave her alone in the darkness so she could regroup, rest her sore body and re-find her focus. Instead, they'd followed her in, the two guards pulling her up by her still shackled arms, yanking her already abused shoulders back and up. From behind her one of them looped a noose over her head, pulling it taught as she tried to move away, then running the other end of the rope through a hook in the ceiling of the cell.

Stepping away from her the smaller of the guards got in one last ferocious punch to her gut. A sadistic smile crossed his face as she was stopped from doubling over by the rope around her neck keeping her upright. As she gasped for breath they left, slamming the door, throwing Kara back into utter darkness.

And with the darkness came another part of the game. Loud, deafening static played on a loop incessantly into the cell. Kara assumed this was all part of the plan to break her. Sustained physical abuse followed by light and sleep deprivation. Well, she was trained, she'd been through the POW course in flight school, she knew what to expect. And she was damned if she was going to let him win.

But, knowing what to expect and experiencing it were two different things. The static was increasing the thumping headache she'd picked up after being repeatedly punched and slammed into walls, tables and knees compounded by several forced submersions in ice cold water throughout the day. She knew that in her current predicament being forced to stand on her newly re-damaged knee was not going to be that comfortable for very long. And in the dark she had nothing to look at, nothing to take her mind away.

This was going to get pretty old, pretty soon. And Kara wasn't altogether sure she wanted to find out just how long he was going to make her stand there, surely not all night? But, what choice did she have? Arms tied behind her, feet shackled together, rope around her neck, she couldn't get free, couldn't rest. And she was tired, bone tired, and falling asleep was not going to be an option, Kara had no death wish.

As she tried to adjust her mind drifted. Of course she'd had imagined what would happen if she was ever captured by the enemy, any enemy. She wasn't stupid, she knew her job carried the risk and she had been over in her mind how she'd react, how tough she'd be, how strong, how defiant. But, the one thing that she had never imagined, that no-one had told her that despite all the training, was the soul deep terror she felt at being so utterly controlled by another. Even in her darkest moments with her mother she'd been able to escape to school, to her painting, to go for a run. But now, her every move was being controlled and she was terrified, truly, deeply terrified.

"Suck it up Starbuck, this is no worse than boot camp. Endure, resist, you're stronger than this. Lee and the Old Man know what's going on, they'll be here soon. Just stay strong". The damned Cylons couldn't take this away from her, control over her own body sure, they had that, but her mind was her own. It was the one thing she would not let them have. For any price.

And in the darkness, in the deafening noise, Kara couldn't help but replay the events of the day to see where she went wrong, what could she have done differently, and how was she going to approach the next session of torture, because without a doubt there would be more to come, Leobon had told her that hour after hour. As she shifted her weight further onto her left leg and tried to tune out the noise and the pain and the cold she reflected on how it started.

_There is a time between deep sleep and consciousness where the mind is in blissful peace. No thoughts of what needs doing today, no remembrance of what went wrong yesterday, not even a real concept of what or who you are._

_Just peace._

_And then, without inviting it, consciousness takes hold and instantly you know your name, you can form words and sentences, you know without moving that you have arms, and legs, and that they are attached to your body. Before too long the brain kicks in and before you even open your eyes your planning how much time you've got before you really, really have to get up. This gradual awakening happens every day of your life, its something you take for granted, it's a given, a fact of life._

_For the first time since the dark days post-Zak's funeral, Kara was damning whichever higher power had invented the cycle of waking. That blissful, painless unawareness was gone so fast and try as she might she couldn't persuade her damned brain to switch back off. In that moment she hadn't been aware of just how much she hurt, or more worrying, why she hurt._

_The same instinct that made her lay-out superior assholes was screaming at her to get up and go beat the crap out of whoever had managed to get the drop on her when she'd dropped into an exhausted sleep on the Pegasus. But, her brain actually took over in this case and demand she stay still, play dead, gain more information. And then, maybe, she could get up and beat the crap out of someone._

_Her internal pep talk kicked in, 'OK Starbuck, first things first, damage inventory. Sore head, sore ribs, cold, very cold.' She made the tiniest movements of her arms and legs, 'Frak, apparently tied up, keep calm, just keep calm.'_

_And then she felt it. Eyes still closed she had no idea where she was, or what else might be in the room with her. But, she could feel someone watching her. Almost like a sixth sense the hairs on the back of her neck stood up. Listening intently she could just make out soft breathing in front of her._

_Fear, an all pervading sense of dread clogged her senses, her mouth dry like the desert, her instinct screaming to get out of there. But, of all the things she may be, a coward was not none of them._

_Mentally calming herself she took a deep breath and decided to get the show on the road._

_Opening her eyes slowly she got her first glance at whoever was holding her captive._

_Instant recognition._

_The fear came flooding back, her eyes wide and startled for a split second, a gentle murmur under her breathe._

_"Oh frak me"_

_x-x-x-x_

_Kara once more wondered exactly what it was she had done to piss off the Gods. As she lay trussed up, helpless on the floor she gazed up at her own personal nightmare, at the Cylon who had beaten the crap out of her and was instrumental in whatever happened to her down on Caprica. The tall, ice cold blond bitch who she'd already killed one version of and brained another during her escape from the Cylon prison. And now, here she was again._

_Un-fracking-believable._

_And yet Kara had seen another version of this model, not so blond this time, and certainly no where near as intimidating. In fact the one called Gina was downright pathetic lying unresponsive in the brig of Pegasus, even in the face of Admiral Cain's wrath as she had shown Kara what happened to those who betrayed her. At the time she remembered wondering just how close the Admiral had been to the Cylon, the hate seemed altogether too personal. But, she was in no position to question it, and could only stare in pity at the wreck on the floor._

_Once again she found herself torn between hatred towards all of the murderous Cylons and a deep sense that was happening was wrong. Her experience with Leobon and the fake Sharon had made her see the Cylons as more than toasters, how could she reconcile her military instincts to get information at any cost, it was only a machine after all, with her human response to another person in despair. She still hadn't decided whether she agreed with what had happened to Gina when she'd been whisked away by the Admiral._

_Now, as the blond Cylon stalked over to her she schooled her expression into one of indifference, vowing to herself not to let them see her fear._

_Six stopped in front of Kara, smirked at her and unleashed a ferocious kick into her stomach. Before she could regain her breath she was pulled up from the floor and pushed down onto an unforgiving metal chair. Leobon was seated opposite her, behind the table, the symmetry of their first meeting was not lost on Kara, nor on him as he smiled at her._

_Her eyes slid away, unwilling to let him see him unsettle her, she turned her head to see where Six was and immediately regretted it as the Cylon lightning quick slammed her face down over the desk in front of her, holding her down bodily, her forearm across Kara's shoulders, one hand buried in her hair, pulling her head back as she hissed into ear "Don't test me little girl, you don't move, you don't speak unless we tell you to. You wanna play then we will, but you wont like my rules. You hear me?"_

_Kara remained silent but struggled against the hold despite being shackled, until Six slammed her head down onto the desk._

_"I said, do you hear me?"_

_Blood dripping down from the newly inflicted cut above her eye, Kara's internal battle raged but sense won out, there was no point being knocked senseless just yet. Grudgingly, and with the most vitriol she could muster she answered._

_"Sure, I hear you."_

_It was a full minute of silence before Six let her up and slammed her back down onto the chair, this time looping her shackled arms over the back. And this time when the blond Cylon moved behind her, Kara resisted the urge to turn and watch. Facing forward, Leobon stared at her, silent, just staring._

_Minutes passed, Kara guessed they were waiting to see if she spoke without permission, and much as she wanted to she wouldn't give them the satisfaction, so she stared back at him, her trademark smirk in place, masking her apprehension._

_Finally, he spoke._

_"I had such high hopes for you Starbuck. I really felt we connected the last time we met. You saw me for who I was, not what I was." He watched as she shook her head. "No, don't deny it, we both know you watched me spaced then prayed for my soul. Quite amazing considering you told me toasters don't have souls, don't you think?"._

_She said nothing._

_"You know you're special Kara. As I told you before this has happened before, and it will again. I've seen your destiny, there's no way around what's going to happen, you're going to get more than a few slaps and a bucket of water. Believe me, you'll be begging to be put out of the airlock long before we've finished with you." He almost looked sorry for her as he saw her façade crack for just a split second before she spoke._

_"Look, its really great to catch up like this but lets cut the crap, I'm not gonna give you whatever information it is you want from me. Do what the frak you want, its not gonna make any difference. You may as well drop me back at the Pegasus now and we'll forget this ever happened."_

_Six laughed behind her, pacing as she spoke. "Oh Starbuck, you really have no idea do you. You're not here for your information, we have plenty of sources in the Fleet. You're not even her for personal revenge, though I admit I will take some pleasure from your agony." She stopped her pacing, wrapped a hand around Kara's throat, just resting there to show the power she held over her and lent down next to her ear, the silky voice slowly spelling out the Cylons intentions._

_"You are the sacrificial lamb. The blond haired, wide eyed, top gun, darling of the Fleet. The Commanders pet, the Presidents go-to girl. The legend in her own time. You, poor little Starbuck, are going to be the straw that broke the Fleet's back. Your people are going to see you beaten, broken, crawling and begging for your life."_

_She paused, swinging around Kara's side so she could watch the effect her words were having on her victim._

_"And you know what, we're not doing anything your people haven't done to us first. We're going to do to you what your crew did to our sister on the Pegasus, sanctioned by your leaders."_

_Kara started to object, Adama and Roslin had nothing to do with it, but the pressure on her throat increased to stop her voice, the blond Cylon continuing, her voice beginning to waver in anger. And even though Kara was not liking where this was going and was beginning to feel utter panic, she took a moment to once again marvel that a toaster had emotions._

_"Every punch, every kick, every burn, every welt, all the cold, the hunger, the exhaustion she was subjected to, that's what you're going to live with little girl.." her eyes narrowed, her voice dropped dangerously "…and much as I abhor it, you are not going to get away without being taken, in every way possible, by some of the most brutal men I could find."_

_She smiled as Kara's eyes went wide, the threat of gang-rape clearly having the desired effect on her. She continued as Kara failed to stop her terror playing over her expressive face._

_"You really are special, how does it feel to have such a painful destiny, pre-ordained, yet you were even prepared for this in childhood, all your suffering has led you to this point. After all, to break a normal human wouldn't have the same effect as destroying the mighty Starbuck. You will resist, I can see it in your eyes, you think you've faced pain before. But you're wrong little girl, you can't imagine the things we're going to do to you. Remember, you really are human, and Gina, much as she suffered, is not. You, Starbuck, have no choice but to suffer, to scream, to bleed, and to break."_

_Leobon watched as Six played the human like a fine violin, saw as Kara tried so hard to appear nonchalant but unable to stop the hate flash across her eyes as her childhood was once again used against her before being chased away by intense personal fear at the relentless threat of prolonged torture. Six removed her hand and lent in close, invading Kara's personal space to deliver the final blow._

_"There is no way out, no escape, no rescue, no end. No one knows where you are, they will not find you. You are ours now, no longer a person, but a thing to be used as we see fit. And even better, you are going to be a star, the focus of your very own broadcast. Every vessel in the fleet will watch you suffer, watch your every humiliation, watch you break. And not one person can condemn what we will do, or else they condemn what your leaders do."_

_Kara didn't want to hear anymore. She felt terror like never before, even if by some miracle Lee had found her and was on his way right now she knew she wouldn't escape without at least a few hours of misery and hurt. She fell back on the only way she knew to combat her own fears, she decided to fight back, just like she always did with her mother. So, knowing she was likely to bleed from the repercussions but uncaring so long as she got in one good shot, she made her move._

_Flashing a smile that said 'bite me' she slammed her head forwards with as much force as she could, head butting the Cylon back onto her ass. Within a flash Leobon came from around the desk, Six rose from the floor, they communicated wordlessly before Leobon punched Kara across her right temple, her head snapping to the left where Six punched her back across towards Leobon. He grabbed her shoulders and simultaneously pulled her upper body down as he brought his knee up and crashed it into her nose sending her and the chair flying backwards landing on her pinioned arms. Tears sprang to her eyes, pain exploded in her head and blood sprayed down her shirt._

_"Ok Starbuck, you're in such a hurry to hurt, we can do that, no more talking, lets get on with it. And don't forget to smile for the camera, bitch"._

x-x-x-x

Saul Tigh was a hardass. He'd spent years in the service, years that had shown him man at his very best, and his very worst. He'd been driven to drink and had lost his way years before, and in the time since then he'd forgotten why he started. But recently, since the end of the world as he knew it, he'd rediscovered his purpose, his commitment to the service, and to Bill Adama. That man had saved him before and Saul knew he owed him everything. More than that, he trusted him.

The only thing they'd ever disagreed on was Kara Thrace. From their first meeting, Saul had seen far too much of himself in the young pilot and had come down hard on her at every opportunity. Her cockiness, insubordination, her brashness, her take no bullshit attitude drove him mad. She was reckless and knew the inside of the brig better than he knew his wife. He had once been the same, but he never had a commander like Bill that let her get away with things so often. Where Saul had been busted back down to foot soldier, Thrace seemed only to get a night in the brig, a slight dress down, then she was off flying again. And he hated her for it. He just could not see what Bill did, and he hated that she drove a wedge between them. And when one drunken night he realised he was jealous of her, he really hated her for making him so petty.

However, all that said, at this very moment in time he'd give his right arm to have her in his face, punching him across the rec room then strolling off to the brig. Because if she was here, she would not be being beamed across the fleet to all open vid screens in her current state. And Bill Adama would not be going insane with rage and helplessness. As Saul looked around CIC he saw not only Bill but Lee Adama red faced with rage, and standing across the command desk was Laura Roslin, her eyes steely, yet hidden behind welling tears, her fist clenched in front of her mouth as she watched the screen. This was the 3rd time in a week the bastards who had Thrace had broadcast her suffering to the fleet. Previous times it had been audio only, the sound of a beating, of Starbuck's pained grunts as she was attacked. Each time ending with no apparent sign off. Another half muffled scream drew his eyes back to the recently started broadcast, this their first opportunity to lay eyes on the viper pilot.

On the screen was what looked to be your standard cargo hold room. Grey walls, grey floor, grey ceiling. All grey, except for the blood spatter. These were things he'd noticed later, the first thing that drew his attention had been the blond figure strung up by her wrists in the centre of the room. Head down, hair over her face, feet barely touching the floor, yet undeniably it had been Starbuck. He could see her chest and stomach move as she struggled to draw in breath and could hear her pained whimpering, so unlike the Starbuck he was accustomed to he wondered what the hell they'd done to her to cause such a noise.

Obviously she'd been worked over by some experienced thugs, bruises stood out on her exposed skin under streaks of blood and a layer of pain induced sweat. Her unfettered ankles were ringed with dark bruises and patches of blood from what he assumed had been tight restraints. Her wrists, pulled high out and above her head were currently bound in chains, but he could see the lines of blood running down towards her elbows. He could only imagine the pain she was in from that alone.

And then there was her knee. The same one she'd had such trouble with before, the same one that had kept her out of her Viper for so long. It had clearly been the focus of a sustained, brutal attack. He wondered if it had been a coincidence that they had gone for it, then realised it unlikely, and that they had carefully planned exactly where to hurt her the most. It was swollen to twice its normal size. Black with bruises extending out to purple bruising on her thigh and calf. It look smashed, misshapen, beaten out of all shape. Saul could only imagine the agony she went though as they caused that much damage, though her current whimpering suggested it had been unbearable, and recent.

And then he saw the reason for her screams. A sound he knew he'd never heard from her before. Starbuck did not scream, ever. Shout, yell, curse, sure, he'd seen all that. But such a pain filled, girl like scream? Saul shook his head, he often forgot she was a woman, she certainly never expected any special treatment for it, she made sure she could run as far and as fast as the men, she could hold her own in a fist fight, and she could certainly out play most of them at cards. But, for all her training, someone had managed to get hold of her and put her in this position. He wondered how they'd got her. Then realised it didn't matter, he couldn't change that.

He could only watch as once again someone off screen unleashed a ferocious lash from a leather whip onto Kara's back. As the whip connected her whole body was thrown forward, her weight forced onto her damaged knee before the chains holding her hands in place swung her back. He saw her try to stop her scream even as it was ripped from her and he wondered if it was the whiplash or the movement of her knee which elicited the heartbreaking yell. He couldn't tell if her trying to control her reaction was for her own benefit, or for the watching audience which he was sure she knew about.

Again and again the whip found her back. Each time the same result, a shift of her body weight, more blood spatter, more blood from underneath the chains holding her up, and more screams to the point where she could no longer stop herself. Saul willed her to pass out, to stop hanging on, to just black out and spare herself the pain. But he knew that she wouldn't get the chance for that as he heard her voice, quieter and more pain filled than he thought possible, evidently everyone else in CIC heard it too as several heads shook in disbelief and horror.

"….no more…..please, no more…."

A disembodied woman's voice came over the broadcast, loud, clear, and dripping with sarcasm

"Speak up Starbuck, we can't hear you, all the nice people watching can't hear you, speak up".

Everyone watched as Kara visibly flinched at the voice, painfully drawing another breath before slightly louder she spoke again,

"Frak you, you heard me".

"Oh Starbuck, you know the deal, you ask, you receive. You ask me to stop and I will, I thought you asked, but obviously not." The woman's voice hardened, "Start again….."

The whip crashed once more onto Kara's back, this time her scream was devastating to those watching as she followed it with the words everyone wanted her to say, yet no-one wanted her to give in at the same time.

"Ok, please…" a deep, painful breath, "please no more".

All this time Kara did not look up, Saul unsure if she was unable, or just ashamed. He soon found out it was the latter as the woman's voice once more demanded,

"Look up Starbuck, you look at me, look at me and ask me to stop hurting you."

Kara stayed still, breathing deeply, the voice again, now shouting,

"Do it little girl, or we start again".

It seemed to Saul that everyone held their breath as Kara slowly, obviously painfully raised her head upright, carefully shaking the hair out of her line of vision. Gasps all round CIC as they got their first look at her face. Her left eye almost swollen shut, blood dripping from above her eye and the opposite corner of her mouth. A nasty ring of purple bruising around her throat as if she'd been choked. But for all of that, it was the look in her eyes that caused the most upset to the people in CIC who knew her. Her eyes were full of despair and shame.

Saul could see her internal battle waging as she tried to be strong, to be the respected pilot she was, yet at the same time faced with unbearable pain and suffering, the threat of more, and with the shame of knowing that the entire fleet was able to see her humiliation. All of a sudden his animosity to her disappeared, how could he have missed the courage and fortitude she was displaying at this moment? He owed Bill an apology. But first, they had to watch this play out.

Again the grating woman's voice,

"Well, what's it to be little girl? You want some more, or you want me to stop? Come on, we're all waiting."

A tear trickled down Kara's face as she battled with herself.

"What's the matter, Starbuck, you hurt? Huh, you want to cry some more 'cos it hurts?"

Kara's eyes slid to the floor in shame,

"Go ahead and cry little girl, it makes great television. Go on, lets have some more tears, show them just how tough you are. You really are pathetic, a little rough and tough and you start with the waterworks."

Saul watched as Starbuck tried desperately to stop the pain induced tears, he could see her draw in deep breaths, eyes still averted. His heart broke for her, compounded by the next heartless words from the as yet unknown woman.

"Little girl wants her mommy to make it better?"

The woman let loose a harsh laugh as Kara's eyes flashed to hers, a deep rooted pain and anger evident as the woman continued

"Oh that's right, how could I forget. Your mommy was the one who made you cry, wasn't she little Starbuck, not the one to make it all better. Tell me, was it her fists or her belt that made you cry the most?"

Saul saw it coming, knew from experience just how far you could push Thrace before she lost it, and he'd never dared venture into her family history. He saw the anger push aside her pain as she lunged for the woman off camera, momentarily forgetting her restraints.

"You bitch, you shut up about my mother, you don't know anything, let me the frak go".

Then to everyone's surprise the woman belonging to the voice appeared on camera for the first time, stalking towards Kara from beside the camera position. The tall, thin blond was instantly recognisable to the command staff as a cylon, the twin of Gina. All of a sudden things fell in to place and a sick feeling washed through CIC as they realised it wasn't simply Cylon supporters that had Kara, it was the Cylon's themselves.

Before having time to contemplate further the blond cylon had advanced on Kara, grabbed her around her already bruised throat and got right into her face.

"I know everything little girl, about your mother, about your broken bones, about the dark little cupboard under the stairs…"

Kara's eyes went wide

"….about what she did to you before you ran away join up"

The cylon chuckled as Starbuck tried to head butt her only to earn a vicious knee to her gut

"We've been over this Starbuck. You are nothing, nothing. You are mine now, and I make the rules. So, you want me to stop? Or you want me to continue?"

Kara straightened back up from the blow, aware of the hand still around her throat, but once more too pigheaded to give in, fully aware of who could be watching, desperate not to let them down, she fought back with all she had left, her words. Venom infused her as she spoke.

"So you made me cry, well done, such an achievement after you tie me up and beat me half to death. Real proud of yourself for that aren't you. But you know what, I will never give in to you, never.."

Kara braced herself for the killing blow, welcoming the release,

"…not like Gina did…"

Anything else she wanted to say was cut off by the enraged cry of the cylon, her fists pounding into Kara's ribs robbing her of breath.

"Don't you mention her, don't you even dare."

She signalled off camera, instantly Kara's chained wrists were slackened enough that the cylon forced her down onto her knees, Kara's piercing cry of pain reminding everyone of her destroyed knee as she was forced to kneel on it. The cylon produced a gun from her belt and pointed it directly at Kara's face.

"Open your mouth you frakking bitch".

Kara shook her head, the cylon kicked at her knee, and as Kara involuntarily screamed, forced the gun all the way to the back of her throat.

CIC was one big gathered breath as the standoff continued, their best pilot shackled on her knees, a gun in her mouth with a cylon holding the trigger. Everyone was sure this was the end, the cylon shaking with anger as she cocked the trigger. Kara closed her eyes, afraid to move one inch.

The moment dragged on until the cylon spoke, Kara instinctively opening her eyes as she could only listen.

"You will never speak of her again. Do you hear me. What your government have done to my sister is unspeakable, inhuman. What your government sanctioned, what those monsters did to her….."

The cylon visibly pulled herself together, straightening her trigger arm, forcing Kara's head back further,

"…you will experience. This is only the beginning. Your fleet is watching little girl, they will see what happens to POW's in this war, and they will know that we do nothing that they did not sanction on the POW currently in the brig of the Pegasus."

The cylon turned to the camera, her eyes burning into the audience.

"Know this Admiral Cain and Commander Adama, this prisoner is going to continue to suffer for at least the same amount of time as you have held my sister, 52 days and counting. You want this bitch back, you let Gina go. The choice is yours."

She tuned back to Kara, pushing the gun further back to her throat making Kara gag.

"The next time you're in this position, I guarantee it wont be a gun you're sucking on"

She withdrew the gun before slamming it into Kara's temple, knocking her out. As she swung unconcisous from her suspended hands, the cylon turned back once more to the camera, lifting Kara's head by the hair so the camera picked up her beaten face

"Her life is in your hands, give me what I want and you'll get her back."

The screen went blank.

CIC was silent.

The cards had all been laid on the table, Bill knew what he wanted to do, but he had a feeling Admiral Cain wouldn't be so willing to give the cylon what she wanted.


End file.
